Signal device for automobiles



R. WETHERILL.

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5. I917- Patented May 11, 1920.

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l/VVE/VTOR I ATTOR/{H R. WETHEHILL.

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5. 1911.

1,339,938. Patented May 11, 1920.,

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4n Illllllll H 1' INVENTOR ROY WETHERILL. 7/1 amw A TTORNEY PATENTOFFICE.

ROY WETHERILL, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1920.

Application filed July 5, 1917. Serial No. 178,781.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Rev WETHERILL, a citizenof the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jacksonand State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Signal Device forAutomobiles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in signaling devices forautomobiles; and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide aninexpensive, durable and efficient manually operated visual signalingdevice which may be attached to the frame of the wind shield of anautomobile and displayed to stop traflic, second, to provide thesignaling apparatus with means of storing energy to force the signal tostop position, and a reversing lever for returning the signal tonormally clear position, and, third, to provide an elbow with motionlimiting stops to allow the signal arm to assume a horizontal positionto display the stop signal and to engage stops on the reversing leverand thereby return to normal clear position. Y

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure 1, is an elevation of my invention, and showingthe same in operative stop po-, sition; Fig. 2, is an elevation of myinvention, and showing the same in normally clear position; Fi 3, is atop view of the signal in stop position, the signal disk being omitted.and showing the method of attaching the same to the frame of the windshield, and also showing the elbow which permits the signaling arm andreversing lever to rotate to effect signaling operations; Fig. 4:, is aplan View of the inner side of the signaling arm and showing thecircular disk adapted to receive the hub on the reversing lever; Fig. 5,is a plan view of the inner side of the reversing lever, and showing thestop to engage the signaling arm; Fig. 6, is a plan View of the outerside of the same; Fig. 7, is a view of the upper side of the same; Fig.8, is a top view of the attaching member and showing the means forstoring energy to force the signaling arm to stop position; Fig. 9, isan elevation of the reverse side of the device, and showing thesignaling arm and the reversing lever in operative engagement to holdthe arm horizontal; Fig. 10, is a vertical section through the elbow onthe line VV, in Fig. 9; Fig.

the legs; and, Fig. 13, is a top plan View of v the slide member. v

Smnlar numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

The numeral 1, indicates a fragment of the frame of the wind shield 2,of an automobile. The signaling device comprises a disk 3, having acentral opening 4, which is adapted for reducing wind pressure and toprovide opportunity to display a lamp for night signaling. The disk is,preferably, colored red to adjacent its peripheral edge, the outerportion being colored white, as shown at 5 and 6, respectively. A lip 7is attached to the rearward side of the disk, adjacent its edge, and isadapted to receive hand pressure, in the manner hereinafter described. Asignal arm 8, is provided at its outer end with a seat 9, which isadapted to receive a marginal portion of the disk, to which the latteris fixed by rivets 10. A

disk 11, is formed integral with the inner end of the signaling arm andis provided centrally with an opening 12, and with a motion limitingstop 13, and which is formed integral therewith. An attaching member 14,comprising oppositely disposed individual adjustably mounted rigid jaw15 and movable jaw 16, are held in place by a bolt 17 provided with anut 18, which is lodged in and detained by a seat 19, formed in theouter end portion of the jaw 16. A supporting arm 20, is formed integralwith the outer end portion of the jaw 15, and is extended outwardly ofthe jaw in horizontal alinement, but bowed rearwardly in suitabledegree, and is provided at its outer end with a disk 21, having acentral opening therein, similar to the opening in the disk 11, on thesignaling arm, the inner lower edge of the disk, adjacent the arm, iscut away inwardly a suitable distance to form an abutting stop 22.A'reversing lever 23, is provided on its outer end with a disk 24,having a hollow hub 25, which extends outwardly of the sides of the diska suflicient distance to reor the mass.

ceive the openings in the disks on the signaling arm and supporting arm,the said hub being formed with a hollow core. Laterally extending stop26, is formed on the outer portion of the peripheral edge of the diskand shoulders 27 and 28, are formed on the reversing lever at the innerside of the disk, and are adapted to engage the cut away portion 22, onthe disk 21. The disk 24, on the lever 23, is lodged between the disk11, on .the signaling arm and the disk 21, on the vsupport'mg arm 20,the projecting ends of the hollow hub 25, being respectively enteredinto the adjacent openings in the disks l1 and 21, in such a manner thatthe latter will permit the reversing lever to turn. A bushing 29, havinga head .30, is extended through the core 31, of the hub 25, the free endof the bushing being provided with internal screw threads which areadapted to receive the screw end of a bolt 32, washers 33 and 341, beinginterposed be tween the heads of the bushing and bolt and bear on theends of the hub, thereby -torming an elbow joint 35, which .is adaptedto permit simultaneous rotative movements of the signaling arm and thereversing lever. in assembling the disks, in the manner mentioned, thedisk 21, operates as a rigid support or bearing for the revoluble hub25, thereby permitting the reversing lever to bring its limiting stop26, in engagement with the stop 13, .on the signaling arm to force thelatter to turn inwardly, the out ward turning of the signaling armforcing the reversing lever to turn inwardly until its shoulder 27, isengaged by the under or lower edge of the supporting arm 20. Avertically extending mass of metal 3.6, is formed integral with theouter side of the jaw 15, and is provided with a bore 37, which isezrtendedto adjacent the lower end A longitudinally extending slottedaperture 38, is formed in the vouter side of said mass and communicateswith the bore 37,

A'compression spring 39, is lodged in the bore 37, and a slide member40, having a head 41, lodged upon the upper end of the spring 39, andVshaped slide bearings 42, slidably mounted in the Vshaped slideways,hereafter described, is extended outwardly through the slotted aperture.38, to form a lip 23, a downwardly extending porlion provided with aroller let. A cover 4L5, having dowel pins 46, adapted to enter theholes 47, in the upper end of the mass 36, 1s provided -w1th legs -18,which are spacedv apart a distance, substantially conforming with thewidth of the slotted aperture 38, and having oppositely disposed V-shaped slideways 49, on their inner sides, which are occupied by theif-shaped slide bearings 12,

in the slide member 470, the outer sides of the legs forming a bearingfor the roller 4A, the lower-ends of the legs being secured on the massby fasteners 50.

To attach the signaling device to the frame of the wind shield of anautomobile, the jaws 15 and 16, are separated to admit the frame, whenthe jaws are closed upon the frame by the clamping bolt 17, in the wellknown manner. The signal arm 8, is turned inwardly by the reversinglever 23, thereby bringing the signaling device to clear position, withthe stop 51, on the arm 8, bearing upon the lip 13, of the slide memberl(), the lip 7, on the signaling disk 3, being thereby brought inposition to be con veniently engaged by the hand of the driver, as shownin l 2. To bring the signal to stop position, the signal arm isdepressed by applying downward pressure upon the lip '7, therebypressing the slide member 40, downward against the tension of the spring39, which, when the pressure is discontinued, will react to force thesignaling arm outward to the stop position. In this action the stop 13,on the inner end of the signaling arm, engages the stop 26, .on thereversing lever, and turns the latter inwardly until its shoulder 27,engages the lower edge of the signaling arm, when the further movementof the latter is prevented, and it is detained. in a horizontalposition. The stop 13, on the signaling arm engages the stop 26, on thereversing lever, in its outward movement of the signaling arm, and turnsthe lever inwardly to normal position. To return the signaling arm tonormally clear position an outward pressure is applied to the reversinglever 23, when the stop 26 will en age the stop 13, on the signaling armand force the latter to turn inwardly to normally clear position, inreadiness for setting the signal in step position.

Having described my invention what I claim is A signaling device forautomobiles, comprising a lever having a disk portion provided with ahollow hub and with a laterally projecting stop, a supporting arm havinga disk portion mounted idly on the hub on said lever and a stop engagedby the stop on the disk of the lever, an attaching member having a diskportion mounted idly on the hub on said lever, and a yielding stopvmember demountably secured on the inner

